Yep. Thanks annemarie. Not only is it a good timeline of the coronavirus but a reminder of Trump’s stupidity in his responses to the virus, what it was, how it was being dealt with and how it wasn't going to seriously impact our country. It reminds us of all the times he spent at rallies as opposed to time with his so-called experts, the CDC and FEMA and how the administration was going to tackle this pandemic here in the states. Some people including Members of Congress have called his response or lack thereof a dereliction of his duty at President.

If Trump wants to charge China and send them a bill for their initial coverup and dishonestly in reporting out the impending Pandemic how much can our government charge Trump in the end for the misinformation he put out to the public that harmed our safety - his mismanagement and unpreparedness for this crisis - how he continues to lie about testing - how he endangers people’s lives with his conspiracy laced ideas of injecting light and disinfectants into our bodies.

AUDREY WHITLOCK/FACEBOOKThe leader of a North Carolina protest group has been working to reopen the state amid the coronavirus pandemic, but she was reportedly unable to attend two rallies after she tested positive for the illness.Audrey Whitlock, the administrator of the Reopen NC Facebook group, said she has been in a two-week quarantine and was subsequently forced to miss the planned protests in Raleigh, according to Charlotte radio station WFAE.“I remained in isolation/self quarantine at my home per the direction of my county health department,” she told the NPR affiliate in a statement. “I have not attended any events for Reopen NC.”Despite her bout with the illness, Whitlock, whose quarantine ended on Sunday, confirmed that she still has plans to attend an upcoming rally — the group’s third one — on Tuesday, WFAE reported.

“It is clear that we are flattening the curve,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a Thursday news conference, defending the state’s lockdown, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. “But our state is not ready to lift restrictions yet. We need more time to slow the spread of the virus before we can ease the social restrictions.”“We understand that we can’t stay at home forever, and that this is not something that is sustainable long-term, but what we have to do is to ease back into it to make sure that this virus does not spike, which it very easily could do, overwhelming our hospitals,” Gov. Cooper said at an April 21 news conference. “You only have to look on TV at what’s happening in New York and Italy to see what could happen here.”Whitlock’s statement to the station comes on the heels of her post in the private Facebook group, where she disclosed her illness to its 70,000 members and spoke out against Gov. Cooper’s stay-at-home orders, according to The News & Observer.“As an asymptomatic COVID19 positive patient (quarantine ends 4/26), another concern I have is the treatment of COVID patients as it relates to other communicable diseases,” she wrote on Sunday, according to the outlet.

“I have been told not to participate in public or private accommodations as requested by the government, and therefore denied my 1st amendment right of freedom of religion,” she continued. “If I were an essential employee, I would be denied access to my job by my employer and the government, though compensated, those with other communicable diseases are afforded the right to work.”RELATED: What to Know About the Protests of Stay-at-Home Orders During the Deadly Coronavirus Pandemic“It has been insinuated by others that if I go out, I could be arrested for denying a quarantine order,” she went on. “However, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination by employers, places of public accommodation, and state and local government entities. . Where do we draw the line?”However, it is a criminal offense to break a state or federal quarantine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The protest leader also disclosed in a separate post that she and two other people living in her home became sick in February after she and her husband had traveled separately to the West Coast earlier this year, according to The News & Observer.At the time, doctors told one of her kids that it was a mild case of the flu and did not perform a COVID-19 test, despite all three family members experiencing “severe coughs” and “trouble breathing at night,” the outlet reported.Recently, Whitford wrote in a Facebook post that she was curious to know whether she had the virus in February so she decided to get antibody testing at a nearby lab.“The test came back positive for COVID and negative for the antibodies, so I had a CDC test performed,” she wrote, according to The News & Observer, claiming that Mecklenburg County’s health department never followed up about her results or who she might have exposed.Mecklenburg County’s Health Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.RELATED VIDEO: Frontline Healthcare Workers Stand Up to Lockdown Protesters in Colorado

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'HERO' ER DOCTOR WHO TREATED NYC CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS DIES BY SUICIDE AT 49, FATHER SAYSDEEPAK CHOPRA STARTED A NEW PODCAST TO 'GIVE PEOPLE ACTION PLANS’ DURING THE CORONAVIRUS“This testing and tracing that Cooper is talking about, I have first hand experience that it did not exist in my case,” she wrote, the outlet reported. “After an abundance of caution, I notified my primary care physician who advised me on what to do, and I have been in my house ever since!”North Carolina’s stay-at-home order is currently in effect until May 8, according to WFAE.During last week’s Reopen NC rally, over 100 protesters showed up to demand that Gov. Cooper open the state — some of whom abided by the CDC’s social-distancing recommendations and stayed six feet apart, while others seemed to disregard those suggestions and didn’t wear masks, the radio station reported.The group has also created a petition online, demanding “legislative action from NCGA Republicans and Lt. Gov Dan Forest” to re-open the state by May 1.As of Tuesday afternoon, there have been over 1 million cases and 52,188 deaths attributed to coronavirus in the U.S., according to the New York Times. In North Carolina, at least 9,568 cases and 353 deaths have been reported, according to the Times.As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.

JIM MONE/AP/SHUTTERSTOCKVice President Mike Pence is speaking out following his visit to Mayo Clinic, during which he was seen without a protective face mask despite the medical facility's policy for visitors to wear one amid the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.The 60-year-old opted not to wear a mask while touring the Minnesota hospital on Tuesday. Though many who was visiting the center with the politician — including Food and Drug Administration head Stephen Hahn — wore a mask per the facility's guidelines, Pence went bare-faced as he met with workers and conferred with doctors.He also did not wear a mask while speaking to a Mayo Clinic employee who was donating plasma after recovering from COVID-19.“As Vice President of the United States I'm tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis, and everyone who is around me is tested for the coronavirus," he told reporters following the visit, citing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that indicate wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of the virus by those who have it.

"And since I don't have the coronavirus, I thought it'd be a good opportunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these researchers these incredible healthcare personnel and look them in the eye and say thank you," he continued.[/size]

RELATED: Trump Says He Won't Wear a Face Mask in Public Despite Federal Health Officials' RecommendationPer the CDC's website, the agency recommends "wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain."The Mayo Clinic's website also states that their current protocols "require all patients, visitors and staff to wear a face covering or mask while at Mayo Clinic to guard against transmission of COVID-19."According to NBC News, the Mayo Clinic reiterated its guidelines while Pence was still inside the facility with doctors and patients, writing in a since-deleted tweet, "Mayo Clinic had informed @VP of the masking policy prior to his arrival today."

Reporters who accompanied Pence on the tour said he was the only person seen inside the facility without a face covering.RELATED VIDEO: Nurse Shares Photos From the COVID-19 Pandemic Frontline: We Have Become 'Closer Than Ever'

RELATED: Melania Trump Implores Others to Wear Face Masks One Week After Donald Trump Said He Won'tIn early April, the CDC issued out a new advisory for Americans to wear non-medical, cloth face masks if they go out in public. When announcing the new guidance, President Donald Trump said that he personally would not be following the recommendation.“The CDC is advising the use of non-medical cloth face covering as an additional voluntary public health measure,” Trump, 73, announced before immediately following up by saying, “It’s voluntary, so you don’t have to do it.”“This is voluntary,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to be doing it.”As of Tuesday, there have been at least 1,010,641 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, with 52,927 deaths from coronavirus-related illness.

OLI SCARFF/AFP/GETTYU.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancée, Carrie Symonds, have welcomed their first child together, a son, on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for Johnson confirmed.The child was born at a London hospital, the spokesperson said, adding that the new parents and the baby are all doing very well.Johnson, 55, and Symonds, 32, have yet to reveal the name of their son.The British politician announced in March he was engaged and expecting a child. A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed his upcoming wedding to Symonds at the time, telling The Telegraph: “The Prime Minister and Ms. Symonds are very pleased to announce their engagement and that they are expecting a baby in the early summer.”

Johnson finalized his divorce from Marina Wheeler, 55, in February. The couple was married for 25 years before they announced their separation in September 2018, according to the BBC.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The exciting news for Johnson and Symonds comes just a few weeks after he was discharged from St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, where he spent 10 days battling the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).Johnson first revealed that he had tested positive for the deadly respiratory illness on Mach 27. After spending nine days of self-isolation in the prime ministerial apartment above No. 11 Downing Street, he was taken to St. Thomas’ after his condition “worsened,” his office said on April 6.

Later that day, Johnson was moved into intensive care. He remained awake and was never placed on a ventilator. Aides had described the ICU move as precautionary, in case ventilation was needed if Johnson’s case became more severe.

RELATED: U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Discharged From Hospital Following Coronavirus DiagnosisOn April 9, the Prime Minister was transferred back to a regular hospital ward. Three days later, Johnson was discharged from the hospital to continue his recovery at home.In a video message shared on his official Twitter account, Johnson thanked NHS staff for saving his life.“I have today left hospital after a week in which the NHS has saved my life, no question. It’s hard to find words to express my debut but before I come to that I want to thank everyone in the entire UK for the effort and the sacrifice you have made and are making,” he said on April 12, before extending a special mention to two nurses. “The reason in the end my body did start to get enough oxygen was because for every second of the night they were watching and they were thinking and they were caring and making the interventions I needed.”Symonds — who was also struggling with symptoms of COVID-19 while pregnant —expressed similar sentiments on Twitter.“I cannot thank our magnificent NHS enough. The staff at St Thomas’ Hospital have been incredible. I will never, ever be able to repay you and I will never stop thanking you,” she wrote at the time. “There were times last week that were very dark indeed.”

Carrie Symonds

@carriesymonds

[ltr]I cannot thank our magnificent NHS enough. The staff at St Thomas’ Hospital have been incredible. I will never, ever be able to repay you and I will never stop thanking you. [/ltr]

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RELATED: U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Hospitalized After Testing Positive for CoronavirusDuring the prime minister’s absence, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, 46, chaired the key meetings of the U.K. government and had been given the authority to take over the helm by Johnson.

A majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus, a new poll showed.When asked about the issue, 55 per cent said they disapproved of Trump's work on the pandemic.The numbers in the PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll were worse when it came to reopening schools.

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A majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus, a new PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll showed

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The president floated the idea with governors on Tuesday but 85 per cent of the poll's respondents said it was a bad idea with only 14 per cent saying it was a good idea.Most states have closed their schools through to the end of the school year. The poll shows a reluctance upon the part of Americans to return to normal life, despite Trump's eagerness to get the country back up and running. But the poll showed 91 per cent think it’s a bad idea to have large groups at sporting events, 80 per cent don’t want restaurants reopened to be eaten in, and 65 per cent said it’s not time to return to work from telecommuting. The poll was conducted April 21-26 to 1,008 U.S. adults with a margin of error of 3.4 per cent.Some states have started a slow reopening. In Florida, some beaches have been opened.

President Trump has left it up to the governors to determine what to do in their states, but he has weighed in on the matter. On Tuesday, he provided online encouragement to states taking steps to reopen – in his latest missive on a topic where he has been tugged in two directions.'Many States moving to SAFELY & QUICKLY reopen!' Trump tweeted, as many states are moving to reopen commerce even as U.S. infections continue to rise, surpassing 1 million – the most reported in any country in the world.Trump also singled out Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for praise. Abbott is lifting his social distancing order Thursday. On Friday, Texas malls and restaurants and other venues will be allowed to open, although at 25 per cent capacity. Abbott wants barbershops and gyms to open 'as soon as possible.'

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A "No School" sign hangs on a locked gate to Moor Field special education school in Alhambra, California; a new poll showed 85 per cent think it's a bad idea to reopen schools

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President Trump tweeted that 'Many States moving to SAFELY & QUICKLY reopen!' and praised the governor of Texas, who is reopening malls and restaurants beginning Friday'Texas to open businesses in phases beginning Friday. Great job being done by @GregAbbott_TX,' Trump wrote.Trump took a much harsher tone with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's moves to reopen his state last week, although the president had appeared to condone earlier efforts. Both governors are Republican.Trump blasted Kemp on Wednesday as Georgia was set to reopen, saying: ''I told the governor of Georgia Brian Kemp that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the phase one guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia.'But Trump and Vice President Pence had expressed support for Kemp on a Tuesday night call, CNN reported.

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Attorney Gen. Bill Barr told U.S. attorneys the Constitution prohibits 'undue interference' in the national economy

Trump had earlier issued tweets calling to 'liberate' states with Democratic governors where protesters were rallying against social distancing orders.Trump's Tuesday tweets came after he predicted an economic rebound this summer.'But we had the greatest economy ever in the history of our world, and I had to turn it off in order to get to a point where we are today,' Trump said Monday. 'And now we're making a comeback. And I think we're going to have, economically -- from an economic standpoint, next year -- an unbelievable year. And I think that you're going to see a fantastic fourth quarter, and the third quarter will start to build. But the second quarter, obviously, you're going to have GDP lack of growth.' Trump also retweeted Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who himself retweeted a memo by Attorney General Bill Barr, who warned prosecutors that the Constitution prohibits 'undue interference' in the U.S. economy. Barr told U.S. attorneys to look out for ordinances 'that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.' 'The Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis,' Barr wrote, in a line Jordan highlighted.

Trump touted states reopening 'SAFELY'

He praised Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

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The president retweeted Rep. Jim Jordan, who himself touted a Bill Barr memo

An unofficial White House gift shop is selling $100 coronavirus commemorative coins for collectors looking to remember the pandemic that has so far killed more than 60,000 Americans and infected over a million. Collectors can look back on this stain on human history by becoming the proud owners of a limited first edition coin from The White House Gift Shop - a controversial business that used to be affiliated with the Secret Service. Democrat Senator Bernie Sanders took to social media to slam the White House over the creation of the coins, as the nation's healthcare workers continue to be faced with shortages in supplies of much-needed personal protective equipment. 'If the White House Gift Shop is going to produce $100 COVID-19 coins, Trump can sure as hell utilize the Defense Production Act to manufacture the gloves, gowns, and masks our medical workers desperately need,' Sanders said in a Twitter rant Wednesday.

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Collectors can look back on this stain on human history by becoming the proud owners of a limited first edition coin (above) from The White House Gift ShopThe store website states that 100 percent of the profits from the limited edition coins will be donated to 'Five Major COVID-19 Research Hospitals'. It is not clear which hospitals this refers to. The eleventh coin in the unofficial store's 'historic moments' collection features a virus molecule on one side and the White House press briefing stage on the other.

One side of the coin has 'World vs Virus. Everyday Citizens Did Their Part' inscribed on the outer edge, followed by 'Together We Fought the Unseen Enemy. Everyday Heroes Suited Up' around the image of a virus molecule over the world map in the center. The second side - the 'COVID-19 Task Force' - features the names of the key White House coronavirus task force figures President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Michael R. Pence, Secretary S. Mnuchin, Dr. Jerome Adams, Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci around the presidential podium.

Democrat Senator Bernie Sanders took to social media Wednesday to slam the White House over the creation of the coins

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One side of the coin has 'World vs Virus. Everyday Citizens Did Their Part' inscribed on the outer edge, followed by 'Together We Fought the Unseen Enemy. Everyday Heroes Suited Up' around the image of a virus molecule over the world map in the centerShoppers looking to take home a piece of history will be set back a staggering $100 for one of the 1,000 coins created in the special design. However, the website suggests this is a bargain as the coins are reduced from their regular price of $125 - which is perhaps surprising given they must have been newly created once the pandemic began savaging America.Alongside the coin itself, buyers will also find themselves the proud owners of a certificate of authenticity and a custom White House black velvet coin case.

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Other coins in the collection include a coin commemorating Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a coin entitled 'Genius Makes Its Own Rules' featuring Trump's face and Trump's visit to France on the 100th Anniversary of the ArmisticeThe commemorative coin joins the 10 other collectors' pieces created by the store to mark what it classes key moments in history. Other coins in the collection include a coin commemorating Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a coin entitled 'Genius Makes Its Own Rules' featuring Trump's face and Trump's visit to France on the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice. The shop is now privately-run by self-confessed Trump supporter Anthony Giannini but was originally established by then-President Truman and members of the US Secret Service in 1946.The website says it was granted trademark registration protections by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. As of Wednesday, 60,481 Americans have been killed by coronavirus and there have been 1,050,794 confirmed cases.

Yes, Boris has had a few 'interesting' weeks, hasn't he? But I think he and the government managed to pull the country together to help the health services deal with COVID by staying . at home, while giving everybody financial help, both businesses and companies, and of course we have unemployment benefit here anyway. And the public thanks to the Health Services continue every Thursday.

[size=48]Los Angeles Offers Free Coronavirus Tests for City Residents, Announces Mayor Garcetti"Moving forward, in the city of Los Angeles, you'll be able to — if you have symptoms or not — get tested," the mayor said on WednesdayBy Ashley BoucherApril 29, 2020 10:36 PM[/size]

FACEBOOKLos Angeles is providing residents with access to free novel coronavirus (COVID-19) testing whether or not they are exhibiting symptoms — making it the first major U.S. city to do so.Mayor Eric Garcetti announced milestone during his daily press conference on Wednesday while discussing how "essential" testing is to learning more about the virus and identifying cases."Tonight I am so proud to announce that Los Angeles will become the first major city in America to honor widescale testing to all residents with or without symptoms," Garcetti said."Moving forward, in the city of Los Angeles, you'll be able to — if you have symptoms or not — get tested," he said, adding that those with symptoms will have priority, but that the capacity is there for anyone who wants one.

RELATED: Everything to Know About Coronavirus Testing amid Nationwide ShortagesGarcetti encouraged anyone who thinks they might have the contagious respiratory virus, those who have been around people who do, and those who simply want reassurance that they do or do not, to get a test. "These tests are free for the public," he said."You can't put a price on the peace of mind of knowing that you can't infect somebody around you," Garcetti said.He added that the free testing would begin as soon as Wednesday night.RELATED: Coronavirus Antibody Tests Could Be Available Within a 'Week or So,' Dr. Fauci SaysTesting had previously been restricted to people exhibiting symptoms, essential workers and those living in facilities like nursing homes, the Los Angeles Times reported.

As of Tuesday night, there have been at least 22,485 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, with 1,056 deaths related to the virus, according to data from the public health department.Nationwide, there are more than one million confirmed cases and at least 60,931 related deaths as of Wednesday.

I love him! I know he was talking about Brexit, but when he said to take the "do not drink" labels off bleach bottles for two years and then ask the average person....?! He has to be one of the funniest men EVER!

[size=34]Donald Trump ignores another 3.8 million becoming unemployed to tweet claim that economy will be 'doing so well by summer that Democrats will accuse HIM of hyping COVID-19'[/size]

There were 3.8 million new claims for unemployment benefits filed last week, according to the latest Labor Department figures released on Thursday

More than 26 million have applied for aid in the previous five weeks, adding up to the largest streak of US job losses on record

The total figure now - 30.3 million - is more people than live in the New York and Chicago metropolitan areas combined

Trump retweeted claim by Palm Beach internet talk host Bill Mitchell

Mitchell wrote that 'Democrats will accuse HIM of hyping COVID-19' to artificially depress the economy and mount comeback

Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY U.S. POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and EMILY CRANE FOR DAILYMAIL.COMPUBLISHED: 10:11 EDT, 30 April 2020 | UPDATED: 10:11 EDT, 30 April 2020

President Donald Trump brushed past stark new unemployment numbers Thursday and retweeted a supporter who predicted the economy will be doing so well by summer Democrats will accuse him of 'hyping' the coronavirus outbreak.Trump retweeted Bill Mitchell, a conservative Palm Beach, Florida-based online talk host who has provided undying online support since 2016. 'The economy is going to do so well this Summer and make Trump look so good that Democrats will accuse HIM of hyping COVID-19 just so he could artificially depress the economy and rally into election day,' Mitchell wrote, in a tweet the president blasted out to his millions of followers.

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President Donald Trump retweeted Bill Mitchell, a conservative Palm Beach, Florida-based online talk host who has provided undying online support since 2016. Mitchell predicted the economy will be doing so well by summer Democrats will accuse him of 'hyping' the coronavirus outbreak'I'm not kidding. They'll say this,' he said.The prediction about the economy was in line with what Trump and his economic team has been forecasting. Trump economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Wednesday at the White House: 'We will see a growing, recovering economy by summertime and the back end of the year, and it's going to extend into 2021.''I think the fourth quarter is going to be really, really good,' Trump said Wednesday. 'And we're going to be in a transition quarter next quarter, the third quarter. And I think we'll do very, very nicely there, from an economic standpoint,' he predicted.Mitchell hosts an online broadcast called YourVoiceAmerica. The paid service calls itself 'all MAGA all the time!'

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More than 30 million Americans have now lost their jobs in the six weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began as the US economy slides further into a crisis that is becoming the most devastating since the 1930s

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There were 3.8 million new claims for unemployment benefits filed last week, according to the latest Labor Department figures released on Thursday'We've weathered the storm throughout this entire COVID-19 thing. We're coming out the other side,' Mitchell predicted on his latest broadcast. 'We're leading with the red states first. Blue states, they're going to feel left out after a while. They want to make this thing last as long as possible,' he claimed.A host of states are staging phased reopenings, with Republican governors in Georgia, Texas and Florida taking immediate steps. Federal social distancing guidelines expire tonight.There were 3,8 million new unemployment claims according to new Labor Department figures released Thursday. More than 26 million Americans have applied for assistance in the last five weeks, in just one measure of the crushing force of the coronavirus outbreak. The latest unemployment benefit numbers follow the news on Wednesday that the US economy in the first quarter suffered its sharpest drop - 4.8 percent - since the 2008 financial crisis. Across nearly every industry, nonessential businesses have closed, and workers have been sent home with no clear idea of when or whether they might be recalled. An economic recovery may be months or years off, though governors in a few states have begun allowing some businesses to reopen under certain restrictions.With more employers cutting payrolls to save money, economists have forecast that the unemployment rate for April could go as high as 20 percent. That would be the highest rate since it reached 25 percent during the Great Depression.

PLEASE, please, please send him back out on the campaign trail! LET him hold mega-rallies packed to the rafters with his most rabid supporters. No masks, no social distancing - nothing that infringes on their "rights". Let his children and their spouses accompany him on these ego-trips ... and let them suffer the results the rest of us have had to deal with because of their callous unconcern and incompetence.

Karen Pence said on Thursday that her husband, Vice President Mike Pence, didn't know it was the policy of the Mayo Clinic for visitors to wear masks until he left the facility.'Knowing that he doesn't have COVID-19, he didn't wear one. It was actually after he left Mayo Clinic that he found out that they had a policy of asking everyone to wear a mask,' she said on 'Fox & Friends.'Vice President Pence, who is the head of the White House's Coronavirus Task Force, was surrounded by people wearing masks during his visit Tuesday to the Rochester, Minnesota, hospital. He was criticized for not wearing one.Karen Pence said her husband is 'not someone who would have done anything to offend anyone or hurt anyone or scare anyone.'[size=10][size=18]Karen Pence claims Mike didn't know Mayo Clinic required masks

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Karen Pence said Vice President Mike Pence didn't know it was the policy of the Mayo Clinic for visitors to wear masks until he left the facilityVice President Pence gave a slightly different explanation.He did say Tuesday he didn't wear a mask during his visit because he is regularly tested for the virus and doesn't have it. But he also added he wanted to be able to look people in the eye and thank them. The masks cover the nose and mouth but not the eyes.'As Vice President of the United States I'm tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis, and everyone who is around me is tested for the coronavirus,' he noted, saying he is following CDC guidelines which indicate that the mask is good for preventing the spread of the virus by those who have it.'And since I don't have the coronavirus, I thought it'd be a good opportunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these researchers these incredible healthcare personnel and look them in the eye and say thank you,' he added.[size=18]VP Pence goes without face mask during Mayo Clinic visit

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Vice President Mike Pence flouted the Mayo Clinic's face mask policy during visit even as others wore one

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Token effort: Mike Pence ignored the hospital's policy that everyone wears a mask - but he did manage an elbow bump with Dr. Michael Johnson who was introducing him to survivor Dennis Nelson (right)

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The Mayo Clinic deleted its tweet saying it informed Vice President Mike Pence of its mask policy

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Vice President Mike Pence talks with a lab technician as he tours Mayo Clinic facilities

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Vice President Mike Pence visits Dennis Nelson, who survived the coronavirus, and was going to give blood during a tour of the Mayo Clinic

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Vice President Mike Pence said he didn't wear a mask because he doesn't have the virusThe Mayo Cinic asks all visitors to wear face masks to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, which is also a recommendation the Trump administration has made. 'Part of our protocol for ensuring your safety is to require all patients, visitors and staff to wear a face covering or mask while at Mayo Clinic to guard against transmission of COVID-19,' reads the Mayo Clinic's policy, according to its website. 'If a patient or visitor does not have a mask, Mayo Clinic will provide one.'The clinic has had the mask policy in place since April 13.Pence was told of the policy before he visited, the clinic said in a Twitter post that was subsequently deleted.'Mayo Clinic had informed @VP of the masking policy prior to his arrival today,' the post read. Dr. Stephen Hahn, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, sported a mask as did Mayo Clinic officials who accompanied Pence when he visited a blood and plasma donation center on the campus. Members of the vice president's entourage also wore face coverings. During his visit, Pence met Dennis Nelson, a Mayo Clinic employee from Rochester, who contracted the coronavirus at the end of March and recovered. Nelson made a donation and sat in a chair in the blood and plasma donation center of the clinic while talking to Pence.

Pence also toured the virology laboratory's labeling area, where he thanked some of the employees, all in white coats and masks. The vice president also held a roundtable with local officials and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.All except Pence wore masks. And the officials observed socially distance guidelines when they sat at the table with several feet between them. 'We will get through this, we will get through this together,' Pence said.

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Vice President Pence talking with staff who wore masks while he did not

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz greeted Vice President Mike Pence when he arrived in the state; Walz wore a face mask while Pence didn't; the two men bumped elbows instead of shaking hands

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Vice President Pence also held a roundtable at the hospital where participants - except for him - wore a face mask

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The Mayo Clinic's policy on wearing face masksWhen President Donald Trump announced his administration's recommendation to wear face marks on April 3, he said he wouldn't wear one. 'I don't think I'm going to be doing it,' he said, saying he didn't want to do such a thing in the Oval Office: 'Wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens - I just don't see it.' The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a face mask in public settings where socially distancing policies are hard to follow.

[size=48]Cristina Cuomo Defends Her Clorox Baths, Says the Family Feels ‘So Much Better’ After COVID-19“It’s just the path I took," says Cristina Cuomo in response to the blog post she wrote describing how she chose to treat the virusBy Julie MazziottaApril 30, 2020 12:59 PM[/size]

Cristina Cuomo was both “surprised and not surprised” when she developed COVID-19 symptoms 18 days after her husband, CNN’s Chris Cuomo, noticed his own. The family had been careful once he got sick, moving Chris into the basement, where Cristina would drop off his food while wearing gloves and come back later to retrieve and diligently clean his dishes. But their house has an open floor plan, and with no door blocking off the basement — only a staircase — Cristina started feeling intense sinus pressure in mid-April, before she tested positive.She says she knows she is “lucky,” having had a far more mild case of COVID-19 than her husband and thousands of Americans. Now, 17 days after her symptoms began, Cristina is feeling “so much better,” as are Chris and their 14-year-old son Mario, who also contracted the virus, she tells PEOPLE exclusively. Their two daughters, Bella and Carolina, have not shown any symptoms.

“I have to say, the fear I had going into it was far greater than the fear I had while I was in it,” she says. “I think there’s so much anxiety right now around this virus, and part of it is the fear of knowing there’s no vaccine, and there’s no proven cure or treatments.”

[url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpeople.com%2Fhealth%2Fcristina-cuomo-says-family-is-so-much-better-after-covid-19-addresses-the-clorox-baths%2F%3Futm_source%3Dpinterest.com%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial-share-article%26utm_content%3D20200430%26utm_term%3Dundefined&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimagesvc.meredithcorp.io%2Fv3%2Fmm%2Fimage%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2020%2F04%2F16%2Fchris-cuomo-and-wife-cristina.jpg&description=Cristina Cuomo Defends Her Clorox Baths%2C Says the Family Feels %E2%80%98So Much Better%E2%80%99 After COVID-19][/url]

Cristina Cuomo, Chris Cuomo

Cristina says that “fear” is why she wanted to share the foods and homeopathic treatments she found useful in a blog post on The Purist, the online magazine she founded in 2017.“I think anecdotal evidence is really important right now — what are you feeling, how’s it going for you? — so people get a better understanding of what to expect,” she says.But the post received backlash for the methods she described, including a Clorox bath (which she later updated to clarify that it involved ¼ of a cup of Clorox, not a tub full of it), pricey herbal medicines and a $300 vitamin C drip. After the criticism, Cristina amended the post to say she is “aware that what I am about to talk about are remedies for people who are already in a privileged situation — we have a roof over our head, enough food to eat and clean drinking water, and not everyone has that.”

'HERO' ER DOCTOR WHO TREATED NYC CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS DIES BY SUICIDE AT 49, FATHER SAYSCristina says, though, that she understands the backlash. “There’s a huge opposition against holistic medicine, I get that,” she says. Many of these practices do not have backing from peer-reviewed scientific studies and are not used by Western medical doctors. Cristina updated her post to say, “None of these natural remedies below should be taken without consulting a doctor or naturopath." But in her view, she says, “If there’s a potential for something to work, why not investigate it?"“Who knows if it worked or what it did, but I know that in nine days, I got most of that virus out of my system,” she says. “This being a virus with no vaccination and no cure, my resolution was to learn as much as I can, go to my same doctor Linda Lancaster and follow her protocol, her prescription. And no way am I saying please try this. It's just the path that I took and I'm sharing it because there isn't a lot of anecdotal evidence.”

The criticism hasn’t deterred Cristina. She plans to continue sharing her experience and, now that she’s feeling better, she’s hosting free Instagram Lives with various practitioners and mental health experts she’s selected, from yoga instructors to a leading suicide prevention psychologist.“To see them speaking in front of you on your phone and you can ask them a question and they can answer it directly is a whole different ball game,” she says. “It gives people access.”

During this week,I've realized that people in Germany have started being careless and thoughtless. Yesterday, I went to a supermarket, and while I waited at the cash point, I felt somebody breathing into my neck. I turned halfway round and asked him to keep distancing - everybody is supposed to push a shopping cart, and as long as everybody does this, there's quite a good distance. Plus there are marks on the floor distancing the clients, but this man pulling his cart instead of pushing it, so he was standing really close to me. He told me that he's wearing a mask (hand-made mask covering his mouth and nose which everybody has to do when shopping), and that he's not infected anyway. I tried to explain to him what's wrong about his suggestion, and he simply didn't understand (or didn't want to understand me). I actually can't imagine - after all these months of press coverage - not to know what he did wrong.This morning, my mother asked me to get her some goods from a drugstore, and when I entered it, I saw a staff member telling a customer that he's not allowed to enter the store without a shopping cart, and he started discussing it with her, telling her that that's nonsense and unconstitutional etc, and in the end he left the store without buying it.

This afternoon, I read a discussion on a newssite about if it will be possible to go on vacation in the summer. And I was shocked about how many people there demanded to be able to go everywhere worldwide and saw absolutely no problem about that, claiming that that's a basic right ans accusing our government to bar them from travelling. In March and April, our government chartered planes and sent them in all countries to collect about 250,000 Germans who were stranded and had no chance (like my collegue's daughter who was in New Zealand)This whole discussion was so bizarre and frightening, there were conspiracy theories that our government will start a dictatorship. I mean, I want to go to Denmark in August as well, but if it's not possible, that's it!Is it really so hard to understand that our government doesn't stop our citizens from leaving Germany but about 190 countries don't allow them to enter their territories?

I'm pretty sure that that's not the majority of people here, it's usually the same people who accuse our government to have over-acted because we've got about 190,000 infected people (which is about the numbers in France and the UK) but just around 6,000 people who died from the virus so far (which is just 1/4 of the death rate in these countries). They don't understand that the death rate is so low because of the shutdown.

It's funny you should say that, Carol. I have noticed similar, though different behaviour here. For instance if people are wearing a face mark they suddenly feel protected and forget about all the social distancing reminders and marks on supermarket floors. It's as though they feel they have a cloak of invincibilty (a bit like a Harry Potter cloak or something). I make a point of standing in, say the supermarket aisle, and waiting until people notice me and then realise why!

It might also show how relative to other generations quite a lot of the population feel very entitled. Which we are when you think of all the stuff we have within our homes! But I definitely think some people are either selfish or thoughtless - or both.

I've been thinking about holidays - but obviously only if it were allowed - and I would either have to drive to a less populated place, travel first class on a train with social distancing, or a private plane with seats far apart and then a HUGE car feet apart from the driver to arrive at your nearly empty hotel or large rented house.

I've noticed that about 1/4 to 1/3 of the people in my neighborhood aren't wearing masks. Some stores are enforcing the social distancing rules by marking the floor and only allowing a certain number of people into the store at one time. Others are depending on their customers to regulate themselves. Mostly they try, from what I've seen.

On the other hand, there are some groups who feel so entitled that they ignore all regulations. Some are just selfish and some are politically sponsored. They're the ones who think it's ok for other people to die so they can do whatever they want. For me the feeling is mutual. Thanks to them I wouldn't vacation anywhere in the US this summer.

Annemarie - Sorry to hear about your neighbor. I will never understand people who risk their lives over something so stupid as wearing a mask. It's an annoyance, but if it keeps you safer, why not? I'm sure everyone who lived near him is wondering if they might have caught the virus from him. I hope he hasn't infected anyone else. Please be careful.

Thanks Lizzy, I am being as careful as possible in our buildings you must wear masks in common areas . Of course there are those who don't to day management had masks given out to all apartments it was one mask but it was something. I'm spraying boxes that are delivered with disinfectant before opening them.

When I hear people say they can't wait for things to get back to normal I shake my head. Things will not go back to normal anytime soon.

Masks will have to be worn until there is at least a vaccine just be cause the numbers go down doesn't mean it can't return or for that matter that this round

is finished. So many questions with no answers scientists don't know doctors don't know.

I think that's what makes it so difficult to deal with. Nobody knows anything definite. We just have to hold on and know that "this too shall pass", even though it seems like it never will. Tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day, so try to enjoy it as much as possible. There's no point in worrying about things you can't control.

[size=34]Even SENATORS can't get tests: Capitol Hill physician reveals he doesn't have enough testing kits for largely-elderly lawmakers as they are ordered back to work – despite Donald Trump boasting 'we have done a great job'[/size]

Capitol Hill physician Brian Monahan revealed Thursday he does not have enough testing kits to administer one to all 100 senators as they reconvene

Those who are experiencing symptoms will be able to receive a test, but won't get their results for two days or longer

This contrasts with the White House, which administers rapid testing to anyone meeting with President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is calling the Senate back to session Monday May 4, even though the majority of senators are elderly

Sixty-seven senators are over 60 years old, and McConnell himself is 79

Coronavirus poses a deadlier risk to the elderly and immunocompromised

Capitol Hill physician Brian Monahan (pictured) revealed he does not have enough testing kits to administer one to all 100 senators as they reconvene next weekCapitol doctors do not have enough coronavirus testing kits for all 100 senators to get checked for the disease as the chamber prepares to come back into session Monday.Dr. Brian Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician, told top Republican officials in a conference call Thursday that there is not sufficient testing capacity for senators, two people familiar with the matter told Politico.Only those senators and staffers experiencing symptoms as the chamber reconvenes next week will be able to receive a test at the Capitol – and the results will take two days or longer.According to a person familiar with the Thursday call, Monahan did not discuss with GOP leadership whether he felt it was safe for the Senate to return.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, 78, is calling the Senate back into session Monday May 4, even though Democrats claim he did not consult with the Capitol physician to make sure conditions were safe enough to reconvene.Leadership is also ignoring the fact that the majority of the lawmakers in the upper chamber are elderly – and coronavirus poses a much deadlier risk to those 60-years-old and up.Sixty-seven of the 100 senators currently serving are 60 or older, and another large subset are approaching their 60s. California Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley are the oldest sitting senators at 86-years-old – and four other are in their 80s.Some senators have suggested they might not return next week, especially if the upper chamber is not taking up any coronavirus relief legislation.'I don't begrudge a senator expressing their personal concerns, but that shouldn't mean that the entire Senate ceases to function,' Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas said Thursday. 'We're going to try really very hard to make sure everybody is safe. And not exposed.'

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Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is calling the Senate back to session Monday May 4, even though the majority of senators are elderly – including the leader himself, who is 79-years-old. Coronavirus poses a deadlier risk to those 60-years and older

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California Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley are the oldest senators at 86 – and 67 of the 100 senators are over 60-years-old

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Donald Trump claimed Friday that Democrats, mainly Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are lying that testing kits are scarce. 'He knows we have done a great job on testing,' Trump asserted of SchumerMany Democrats continue to bash President Donald Trump for not creating a more unified federal response to get more testing kits to the states.But Trump asserted 'we have done great on testing,' asserting that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is lying.'Cryin' Chuck Schumer was on a late night show using a false talking point over & over again. 'We don't have enough testing ,' he would repeat, when he knows we have done a great job on Testing, just like we have on Ventilators and everything else. He lied, gave NY SALT. Run AOC!' the president tweeted Friday morning, encouraging progressive New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to challenge him for his Senate seat.'Cryin Chuck Schumer, compared to what other Senators have brought home to their states, has brought very little back to N.Y.,' Trump continued in a second tweet.'A totally overrated loser, the one thing he has given them is SALT. He never even called me to stop it. No wonder Cuomo & most others can't stand him. AOC!' he continued.House Democrats originally planned to call the lower chamber back to Washington, D.C. next week as well, but decided against the move after speaking with Monahan.The Capitol's capabilities are starkly contrasted with the White House, where anyone meeting with the president or Vice President Mike Pence are administered a rapid test, where results are available within minutes.

Even members of the press have received testing before being allowed in the same room as Trump and Pence for briefings.As the Senate prepares to reconvene, Republican chiefs of staff were briefed Thursday by Monahan, McConnell's Chief of Staff Sharon Soderstrom and Rules Committee Staff Director Fitzhugh Elder.All senators and their staff are asked to wear masks at all times, unless senators are delivering speeches on – and officers were told to encourage aides to telework when possible and to screen staffers who do come to the Hill to work.On Thursday afternoon the Office of Attending Physician also put out guidance for committee meetings recommending that senators and all those attending wear a face covering and try to remain in their seats and limit movement throughout the room.

So...for once drumpf is telling the truth. They are doing a great job of testing...in the White House! Pence said he and the people around him are routinely tested while the rest of us sit and wait. How nice it must be to be part of the privileged elite. How tone deaf and out of touch can you get?

Why Jared Kushner could be the most dangerous man in the USArwa Mahdawi

The president’s son-in-law has spent his life failing upwards. Now his position of authority on the Covid-19 task force poses a serious threat to the world

Tue 7 Apr 2020 08.00 EDTLast modified on Tue 7 Apr 2020 08.48 EDT

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In too deep ... Jared Kushner at the US coronavirus briefing on 2 April. Photograph: Kevin Dietsch/EPANatalie Portman once described Jared Kushner – a former classmate of hers at Harvard – as “a supervillain”. This seems unwarranted: while the president’s son-in-law is certainly a joker, he lacks the charisma needed for supervillain status. Indeed, the man lacks any charisma whatsoever; he has the presence of a piece of plywood.In many ways, Kushner’s wooden demeanour has been his greatest strength: it has helped him fly under the radar. Politics has become a reality TV show and quiet Kushner is often too boring to bother with; it is far more interesting to focus on his glamorous wife, Ivanka Trump, or his garrulous father-in-law. Yet over the past few years Kushner has managed to insert himself into the highest levels of decision-making while largely remaining behind the scenes.That changed last week. On Thursday, Kushner, who has taken on vast responsibilities in the Trump administration’s response to Covid-19, made his first public appearance at the White House daily coronavirus briefing. His moment in the spotlight seemed to serve as a wakeup call for the US. All of a sudden, it was glaringly obvious how dangerous Kushner’s hubris is. “I for one became even more fearful of [Covid-19] when I saw how inept” Kushner is, said the Republican pundit Meghan McCain on Monday.

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McCain’s fears were widely shared. Kushner was supposedly at the press briefing to explain the work he has been doing. However, despite him repeating the word '“data” 13 times, it quickly became clear that he has no idea what he is doing. He doesn’t even seem to know what the purpose of a federal stockpile of medical equipment is. “It’s supposed to be our stockpile,” he explained haughtily to reporters. “It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use.”Kushner’s bizarre statement stunned people. Who did the guy think that the federal stockpile belongs to if not the United States of America? The first family and their friends? Kushner may as well have stood up there and said: “We’re not in this together – you’re on your own.” An opinion column in the New York Times the following day declared: Jared Kushner Is Going to Get Us All Killed. (The headline was later changed, for reasons unknown, to Putting Jared Kushner In Charge Is Utter Madness.)During his 39 years on Earth, Kushner has continuously failed upwards. Despite being an unremarkable student, he got a place at Harvard; according to spokespeople for Kushner Companies, this was unrelated to his dad giving $2.5m to the university. After buying a skyscraper at the very top of the real estate market, Kushner was miraculously bailed out by a company with links to the government of Qatar – just months before a potentially ruinous $1.4bn mortgage was due. Wherever Kushner is, questionable deals, questionable ethics and a crowd of yes men seem to follow. The world is constantly remade to reflect the reality that he wants to see. Indeed, shortly after the backlash to Kushner’s comments about the federal stockpile, the government’s website appeared to change to more closely reflect Kushner’s assertions. According to a spokesperson, this change had been in the works for ages; it was nothing to do with Kushner’s ego.There is a management concept called the Peter principle. The world is full of inept managers, this theory postulates, because people are promoted until they rise to “their level of incompetence”. Bearing that in mind, let me introduce the Kushner corollary: the idea that a handful of mediocre middle managers, through a combination of privilege and luck, manage to rise way beyond their level of incompetence to a point where their hubris poses a serious threat to the world. It is becoming increasingly clear that Kushner is not just a doofus – he is dangerous.

President Donald Trump moved to replace a Health Department watchdog late Friday only three weeks after criticizing her for a ‘fake’ report she authored that identified critical shortages of supplies in the response to the coronavirus pandemic.Christi A. Grimm, the principal deputy inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services, was publicly assailed by Trump after she released a report on April 6 which revealed that hundreds of medical centers around the country were struggling to obtain test kits, protective gear for staff members and ventilators.On Friday night, the White House announced its new pick for the department’s inspector general nominating Jason Weida to fill the role.If confirmed, Weida will take over as department watchdog from Grimm and she will become the latest casualty as Trump looks to reassert his authority over the administration amid the current crisis.

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Christi A. Grimm, the principal deputy inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services, was publicly assailed by Trump after she released a report which revealed that hundreds of medical centers around the country were struggling to obtain test kits

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President Trump announced on Friday that he had nominated Jason Weida as the health department’s inspector general. Weida would take over from Christi Grimm who was acting in the role but had angered the president in April with a report about coronavirus suppliesTrump repeatedly attacked the independent inspector general after the release of her devastating report about hospitals running short of coronavirus tests and scouring auto-body shops and salons for makeshift medical gear.He branded the report as ‘fake’ and compared it to the Russia investigation while accusing Grimm of acting as a partisan because she served during the Obama administration.Inspectors general are career officials who conduct non-partisan investigations to ferret out waste and fraud with the goal of making government function better.

Trump had elevated Grimm to her current post in January 2020. She took over the office in an acting capacity as the previous inspector general stepped down in May 2019.Beyond her service during the Obama administration, Trump did not provide evidence that Grimm was a partisan. She began working in the inspector general office late in President Bill Clinton’s administration and served under President George W. Bush as well as Obama.

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Jason Weida, pictured, has been nominated by Trump as inspector general at the Department of Health and Human ServicesGrimm may now be replaced by Weida who currently serves as an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston and previously worked in the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy.Weida’s nomination is being flagged as the latest effort by Trump against watchdog offices in his administration who he believes have defied him, as he seeks to replace them with others who are thought to be more loyal to the White House.In April, Trump fired the inspector general for the Intelligence Community, Michael Atkinson, who shared information with Congress when a whistleblower complained about what he learned about Trump's call with the president of Ukraine.He also nominated a White House aide to a key inspector general role overseeing virus relief spending and moved to block another inspector general from taking over as chairman of a pandemic spending oversight panel.The move to clear out officials he is unhappy with has come in the three months since he was acquitted at a Senate impeachment trial of charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.The president’s quest has continued this week with Weida’s nomination, despite the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed more than 65,700 Americans as of Friday night.[size=18]Trump trashes inspector general during coronavirus briefing

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The report from Grimm that irked the President was released on April 6 and revealed how hospitals had to make it through massive equipment shortages – scouring auto-body shops, salons, and veterinary offices for life-saving gear.It detailed the numerous ways hospitals were using makeshift and donated equipment to provide care for a crush of patients due to the coronavirus.Among shortages identified by Grimm were intravenous therapy (IV) poles, medical gas, linens, toilet paper, and food, according to the report.'To try to make existing supplies of PPE last, hospitals reported conserving and reusing single use/disposable PPE, including using or exploring ultra-violet (UV) sterilization of masks or bypassing some sanitation processes by having staff place surgical masks over N95 masks,' she wrote.'Hospitals also reported turning to non-medical-grade PPE, such as construction masks or handmade masks and gowns, which they worried may put staff at risk.'

Trump tweeted his criticism of the report from Christi Grimm

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The report from Grimm detailed the numerous ways hospitals were using makeshift and donated equipment to provide care for a crush of patients due to the coronavirusAmong those sources of gear outside the normal chain were beauty salons, auto-body shops, vets, paint stores, home supply stores, and online retailers.Hospitals were implementing 'conservation strategies' like reusing protective gear or avoiding patient contacts that would burn through equipment.According to the report, 'One hospital administrator noted that recommendations were not clear about whether cloth masks were good enough, stating, 'But if that's what we have, that's what we're going to have to use.' One hospital reported using 3D printing to manufacturer masks, while another hospital reported that its staff had made 500 face shields out of office supplies.'

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The inspector general investigators interviewed hospital administrators March 23-27 as crush of coronavirus patients began to hit.'It’s just wrong,' the president said earlier in April when asked about Grimm’s report earlier in April.'Did I hear the word ‘inspector general’? Really? It’s wrong. And they’ll talk to you about it. It’s wrong.' He compared the report, based on survey interviews with besieged hospital executives, to the 'dirty dossier,' which contained unverified claims about Trump's alleged conduct in a Moscow hotel room in 2014 – and played a role in the Russia probe.

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'Why didn’t the I.G., who spent 8 years with the Obama Administration (Did she Report on the failed H1N1 Swine Flu debacle where 17,000 people died?), want to talk to the Admirals, Generals, V.P. & others in charge, before doing her report,' Trump tweeted. 'Another Fake Dossier!'The coronavirus death toll in the United States reached more than 65,700 on Friday night with 1,131,876 confirmed cases.

[size=34]Brazil now has more coronavirus deaths than China as the death toll passes 6,000 while President Bolsonaro continues to dismiss the threat and encourages citizens to defy isolation orders[/size]

The coronavirus pandemic has killed 6,017 people and sickened 87,364 other in Brazil, as of Friday

The South American nation's COVID-19 totals eclipsed China's, where 4,512 people have died and 83,958 have been infected

Some Brazilians side with President Jair Bolsonaro's view that social distancing is not really necessary because the virus's effect has been exaggerated

Bolsonaro once labeled the global pandemic 'a little flu' and stated only high-risk Brazilians should be isolated

Many Brazilians have adhered to the government's preventive coronavirus measures as the deadly bugged has killed and sickened more people in the South American nation than in China. But some residents are now following President Jair Bolsonaro's lead by completely ignoring them even as Brazil has become Latin America's epicenter. 'At first I thought [the shutdown] was viable. Later, I came to think we will have more economic difficulties, with the poverty there is. There should be a different way so we can be free of this,' said Baldomero, speaking Wednesday in front of the shuttered Copacabana Palace hotel.Egged on by Bolsonaro, who has routinely scoffed at both the virus and stay-at-home policies, Brazilians like Baldomero are heeding his call for revolt. Divina Baldomero looked out the window at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach under a cloudless sky Wednesday and decided to take her first stroll in 40 days.The 75-year-old restaurant owner had followed her state's governor's call to stay home to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has registered 6,017 deaths and 87,364 infections compared to China's 4,512 deaths and 83,958 sickened people. Experts consider both figures to be significant under-counts due to a lack of widespread testing.

Fernando Ferreira (right), a retired dentist and lawyer, recommended reading the Bible and Albert Camus' The Plague, citing them as evidence pandemics, like COVID-19, have always happened to some degree. He is among a long list of Brazilians who side with President Jair Bolsonaro and said restrictions on commerce are 'absurd'

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A man exercises on a bench despite Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach being closed as a preventive measure to contain the spread of the coronavirusSupport for isolation is faltering, particularly among the wealthy, and more people are milling and mixing.From the sun-worshipers to the Instagram influencers and pro-Bolsonaro protesters, denial is spreading and quarantine is coming apart. But, unlike other countries looking to ease restrictions, Latin America's largest nation is still weeks from the peak in its viral curve.Bolsonaro argued that the economy needs to get back to work in a national address at the end of March, when he referred to the coronavirus as 'a little flu' and said his history as an athlete would protect him.Since then, he has doubled down time and again, saying only high-risk Brazilians need to be isolated.Asked about the grim milestone Bolsonaro responded, 'So what? I'm sorry. What do you want me to do?'

Personal trainer Gabriela Pugliesi would seemingly have little reason to question risks posed by the virus. The 34-year-old was infected last month at her sister's wedding. Several other guests also contracted COVID-19 at the five-star resort with beachfront bungalows.Coughing and feverish - yet no less bronzed and blonde - Pugliesi repeatedly told her 4.5 million followers on Instagram to stay home and take care of themselves. She recovered in late March, and on Saturday threw a party at her apartment in Sao Paulo, the epicenter of Brazil's outbreak. No one wore masks and in one video Pugliesi posted, she and friends shouted 'Screw life!' into the camera.Flouting isolation drew an immediate backlash and more than 100,000 people unfollowed her. She also lost about a dozen sponsors, who also bailed on her influencer guests. Tatá Werneck, a TV talk show host, was a fierce critic.'My cousin is a doctor and arrived home in tears. They already have to choose who to save,' Werneck posted on Pugliesi's account. 'This behavior of yours, even more so because you have so many followers ... is inadmissible.'Pugliesi apologized then suspended her Instagram account. She didn't respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.[size=18]Staff welcome back shoppers in Brazil after businesses reopen

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Neighbors cover the the body of Luiz Carlos Da Rocha as he lies on a street where he dropped dead Tuesday in the Rio de Janeiro slum of Alemao Complex. After more than 12 hours on the street the body of Da Rocha, who the family said suffered from epilepsy, had not been picked up by authorities. Military police said they only can remove corpses in cases of violent death

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An elderly woman pulls a grocery cart filled with food donated by a non-governmental agency amid coronavirus pandemic in the Rio de Janeiro slum of Mandela. Many of the residents who are informal workers are receiving food donations as they are unable to work because of the widespread shutdowns to contain the spread of COVID-19Others in Sao Paulo and elsewhere are defying social distancing, albeit more discreetly. Local authorities said in multiple news conferences that some bars in poor areas are welcoming clients behind closed doors, and police have been called to end gatherings in isolated spots.On Thursday, the governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro extended restrictions on activity and gatherings until May 11. Sao Paulo had previously extended them until May 10. The two states have the largest virus incidence.Still, a poll by Datafolha showed 52 percent of people surveyed believe even those who don't belong to at-risk groups - the elderly and people with chronic illness - should remain in isolation, down from 60 percent at the start of the month. Among the wealthiest, support for continued quarantine is just 39 percent.Bolsonaro's hard-core base has staged rallies to shore up support for their leader's views, most recently on Sunday in the capital, Brasilia. Many of the several hundred demonstrators draped themselves in the Brazilian flag, and the few face masks were in the national colors of green and yellow. Most neglected to use masks altogether, even as they shouted into a shared bullhorn.Not all of Bolsonaro's ministers have fallen into lock-step behind him, but those who don't do so risk losing their jobs. Luiz Henrique Mandetta, his former health minister, strongly supported the restrictions imposed by state governors and his handling of the crisis was widely praised. But earlier this month, Bolsonaro fired him and appointed Nelson Teich, who has said he sees eye-to-eye with the president.

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The family of Carmen Valeria watch her remains as they were placed into a niche by cemetery workers at the Iraja cemetery in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday. The family suspects the 76-year-old died from COVID-19

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Water utility workers from CEDAE disinfect in the Vidigal favela, which overlooks the oceanfront Leblon and Ipanema neighborhoods, in an effort to curb the spread of new coronavirus in Rio de Janeiro[size=18]Shocking video shows Covid-19 deceased next to patients in Brazil

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A health worker holds a photo of a person he said was his colleague, who died of COVID-19, at a protest outside 'Pronto Socorro 28 de Agosto' Hospital in Manaus on Monday. Cases are overwhelming hospitals, morgues and cemeteries across Brazil as Latin America's largest nation veers closer to becoming one of the world's pandemic hot spotsAnd what do the morning walkers in Copacabana and beach-side Barra da Tijuca, Rio's two hardest-hit neighborhoods, say?Walking along Barra, not far from Bolsonaro's personal home, 76-year-old Fernando Ferreira, recommended reading the Bible and Albert Camus´ 'The Plague,' saying they are evidence that pandemics have always happened in history. The retired dentist and lawyer said local governments' restrictions on commerce are 'absurd.' He pointed to how France is moving to ease its isolation measures, without acknowledging that the European nation's viral curve, unlike Brazil's, has begun to plateau.Lilia Santiago, a 51-year-old dentist, was ambling with her 77-year-old mother. She insisted forcing everyone to stay home amounts to 'buffoonery,' particularly as poor people in Brazil often live in close quarters under the same roof.'People at risk, with respiratory problems, auto-immune diseases, should take care, which doesn't mean they can't go out,' Santiago said. 'We can't be locked inside an apartment or house. We need to circulate, but safely.''You don't stand next to someone with a cold. Same thing,' she said, echoing Bolsonaro's belittling of the virus' dangers. 'Flu kills more than coronavirus, folks! A lot of things kill more than coronavirus!'

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Cemetery workers in protective clothing bury a person who died of COVID-19 at the Vila Formosa cemetery in Sao Paulo on Thursday[size=18]Brazil races for more burial sites as coronavirus spreads

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A woman walks on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. Rejection of quarantine to help contain the spread of COVID-19 is evident among the people soaking up sunshine in the beachside neighborhoods of Copacabana and Barra da Tijuca

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Taina dos Santos (third from left) attends Tuesday's burial of her mother Ana Maria, a 56-year-old nursing assistant who died from the coronavirus in Rio de Janeiro. Dos Santos said that the situation in the Salgado Filho Hospital where her mother worked is complicated and that some health workers have to buy their own protective gear

Donald Trump's four-step plan to reopen the US economy – and why it will be lethalRobert Reich

The president and his allies are hiding the facts and pretending ‘freedom’ conquers all. As a result, more Americans will die

Sun 3 May 2020 01.00 EDTLast modified on Sun 3 May 2020 01.16 EDT

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Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as he departs the White House for Camp David on Saturday. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesDonald Trump is getting nervous. Internal polls show him losing in November unless the economy comes roaring back.But much of the economy remains closed because of the pandemic. The number of infections and deaths continue to climb.

[size=16] The pandemic has made the US healthcare crisis far more dire. We must fix the system

Bernie Sanders and Pramila Jayapal

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So what is Trump’s re-election strategy? Reopen the economy anyway, despite the risks.

Step 1

Remove income support, so people have no choice but to return to work.Trump’s labor department has decided that furloughed employees “must accept” an employer’s offer to return to work and therefore forfeit unemployment benefits, regardless of Covid-19.Trump’s ally, Iowa’s Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, says employees cannot refuse to return to work for fear of contracting the disease. “That’s a voluntary quit,” making someone ineligible for benefits.GOP officials in Oklahoma are even threatening to withhold the $600 a week of extra unemployment benefits Congress has provided workers, if an employer wants to hire them. Safety is irrelevant.“If the employer will contact us … we will cut off their benefits,” says Teresa Thomas Keller of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.Forcing people to choose between getting Covid-19 or losing their livelihood is inhumane. It is also nonsensical. Public health still depends on as many workers as possible staying home. That’s a big reason why Congress provided the extra benefits.

Step 2

Hide the facts.No one knows how many Americans are infected because the Trump administration continues to drag its heels on testing. To date only 6.5m tests have been completed in a population of more than 200 million adults.Florida, one of the first states to reopen, has stopped releasing medical examiners’ statistics on the number of Covid-19 victims because the figures are higher than the state’s official count.But it’s impossible to fight the virus without adequate data. Dr Anthony Fauci, the administration’s leading infectious disease expert, warns that reopening poses “a really significant risk” without more testing.Not surprisingly, the White House has blocked Fauci from testifying before the House.

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Michigan has the third-highest number of Covid-19 deaths in America, although it is 10th in population. When on Thursday Whitmer extended the rules to 28 May, gun-toting protesters rushed the state house chanting: “Lock her up!”Rather than condemn their behavior, Trump suggested Whitmer “make a deal” with them.“The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire,” he tweeted. “These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely!”Meanwhile, the attorney general, William Barr, has directed the justice department to take legal action against any state or local authorities imposing lockdown measures that “could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens”.Making this about “freedom” is absurd. Freedom is meaningless for people who have no choice but to accept a job that risks their health.

Step 4

Shield businesses against lawsuits for spreading the infection.Trump is pushing to give businesses that reopen a “liability shield” against legal action by workers or customers who get infected by the virus.This week, he announced he would use the Defense Production Act to force meat-processing plants to remain open, despite high rates of Covid-19 infections and deaths among meatpackers.“We’re going to sign an executive order today, I believe, and that’ll solve any liability problems,” Trump said.The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, insists that proposed legislation giving state and local governments funding they desperately needs to include legal immunity for corporations that cause workers or consumers to become infected.“We have a red line on liability,” McConnell said. “It won’t pass the Senate without it.”But how can the economy safely reopen if companies don’t have an incentive to keep people safe? Promises to provide protective gear and other safeguards are worthless absent the threat of damages if workers or customers become infected.

The truth

The biggest obstacle to reopening the economy is the pandemic itself.Any rush to reopen without adequate testing and tracing – far more than now under way – will cause a resurgence of the disease and another and longer economic crisis.

Unemployment is ravaging America. Trump should be worried for November

Lloyd Green

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Maybe Trump is betting that any resurgence will occur after the election, when the economy appears to be on the road to recovery.The first responsibility of a president is to keep the public safe. But Donald Trump couldn’t care less. He was slow to respond to the threat, then he lied about it, then made it hard for states – especially those with Democratic governors – to get the equipment they need.Now he’s trying to force the economy to reopen in order to boost his electoral chances this November, and he’s selling out Americans’ health to seal the deal. This is beyond contemptible.[/size]

Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few and The Common Good. His new book, The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, is out now. He is a columnist for Guardian US

Video, featuring images of Americans' social distancing, frontline workers and emotional scenes of 9/11 fallout, has had more than 4m views

Louise BoyleNew York

4 hours ago

27 comments

Former President George W. Bush called for unity in an emotional video this weekend, urging Americans to remember that "we are not partisan combatants".The video was posted on the official Twitter account of the George W. Bush Presidential Center​ and tagged @TheCallToUnite, a livestream where celebrities and public figures have been posting video messages during the pandemic.

There have been more than 65,000 deaths in the US from the coronavirus.

The video featured a voiceover from Bush set against an array of images of Americans social distancing, frontline workers and also included emotional scenes of Bush during his presidency, comforting people following 9/11.

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He said: “We are not partisan combatants. We’re human beings, equally vulnerable and equally wonderful in the sight of God.”

It continued: "We cannot allow physical separation to become emotional isolation.President George W. Bush consoles families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, during a visit to New York City (US National Archives)

“This requires us to not only be compassionate but creative in our outreach. Let us remember that empathy and simple kindness are essential, powerful tools of national recovery.”

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The video highlighted that impacts of the coronavirus “does not fall evenly" and the importance of caring for the elderly, the ill and the unemployed.The video had more than 4m views as of Sunday morning.

[size=48]George W. Bush Calls for Unity amid Coronavirus Crisis — and President Donald Trump Scorned Him"In the final analysis, we are not partisan combatants," said George W. Bush, as he encouraged people to "remember how small our differences are in the face of this shared threat"By Maria PasquiniMay 03, 2020 01:00 PM[/size]

Donald Trump and George W. Bush

DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES; ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGESHours after George W. Bush encouraged people to put aside their political differences in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic, he found himself on the receiving end of a social media attack from President Donald Trump.Over the weekend, the George W. Bush Presidential Center released a nearly three-minute-long video, in which the former president, 73, addressed the “challenging and solemn time” people across the country and the world are facing.“The larger challenge we share is to confront an outbreak of fear and loneliness,” he says in the video, before recalling the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks during his presidency.“I saw a great nation rise as one to honor the brave, to grieve with the grieving and to embrace unavoidable new duties. And I have no doubt, none at all, that this spirit of service and sacrifice is alive and well in America,” he said, before urging people to “remember that empathy and simple kindness are essential, powerful tools of national recovery.”

As the video came to a close, Bush asked people to “remember how small our differences are in the face of this shared threat.”“In the final analysis, we are not partisan combatants. We are human beings, equally vulnerable and equally wonderful in the sight of God,” he continued. “We rise or fall together, and we are determined to rise.”

George W. Bush Presidential Center

@TheBushCenter

[ltr]A Message from President George W. Bush@TheCalltoUnite[/ltr]

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RELATED: George W. Bush's 2005 Warning Resurfaces: Waiting for a Pandemic to Start Preparing 'Will Be Too Late'Twisting Bush’s call for unity, on Sunday morning, Trump criticized him for sharing the message now, and not during his impeachment trial, which ultimately ended in acquittal.“I appreciate the message from former President Bush, but where was he during Impeachment calling for putting partisanship aside,” he wrote on Twitter, referencing a comment he apparently heard on a Fox and Friends broadcast.

“He was nowhere to be found in speaking up against the greatest Hoax in American history!” Trump answered.Although Bush largely stays out of the political fray, he has been vocal about his feelings on Trump in the past, saying in a 2017 book, “This guy doesn’t know what it means to be president.”

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

[ltr].@PeteHegseth “Oh bye the way, I appreciate the message from former President Bush, but where was he during Impeachment calling for putting partisanship aside.” @foxandfriends He was nowhere to be found in speaking up against the greatest Hoax in American history![/ltr]

101K7:42 AM - May 3, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy

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Both Trump and the federal government have been under intense scrutiny in recent months over their handling of the pandemic, including issues relating to nationwide testing as well as Trump’s changing tone on the seriousness of the virus. He has also sparred with some governors over when the country should begin to reopen (falsely claiming he had “total” authority over the states), and has repeatedly lashed out at reporters who ask him questions he doesn’t like.Last month, former President Barack Obama also made a not-so-subtle dig at Trump, writing online that there was still no “coherent national plan” to combat the spread of respiratory illness.RELATED VIDEO: Trump Claims He Hasn’t Left White House 'in Months' During COVID-19 Crisis, Reporter Corrects Him

Over the weekend, Bush participated in The Call to Unite, a virtual 24-hour livestream to help the world to lift spirits amid the ongoing health crisis. He also tagged the organization in his video message, which was posted on Saturday morning."This is our moment to answer the call," the organization said in an Instagram post promoting the event. "You may be scared, you may be struggling, but you are not alone."His wife, former first lady Laura Bush, also offered messages of hope as the virus spreads, teaming up with fellow former First Lady Michelle Obama for the Global Citizen's star-studded One World: Together at Home special.Over 1.1 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus since the outbreak began, and at least 66,400 have died, according to The New York Times.

[size=34]Donald Trump says at Lincoln Memorial town hall that he's 'treated worse' than Abe by the press - as a supporter asks him why he bullies, rambles and doesn't answer reporters' questions[/size]

President Trump was asked by a supporter Sunday night why he didn't comport himself in a more professional fashion during press briefings

President Trump was asked by a supporter Sunday night why he didn't comport himself in a more professional fashion when having his back and forths with the press. A woman who identified herself as Caroline Perkins asked the president at the Sunday night Fox News Channel town hall 'why do you not directly answer the questions asked by the press and instead speak of past success and generally ramble?' 'Look, I am greeted with a hostile press the likes of which no president has ever seen. The closest would be that gentleman right up there,' Trump said, pointing to the huge statue of Abraham Lincoln, as the town hall was being filmed at the Lincoln Memorial. 'I believe I am treated worse,' he stated.

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President Trump was under the shadow of Abraham Lincoln during Sunday night's Fox News Channel

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Caroline Perkins, a Trump supporter, asked him about his 'manner and presentation,' mentioning that he often won't address reporters' questions head-on and will 'instead speak of past success and generally ramble'

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President Trump said that he acted the way he did, because he was dealing with a 'hostile' press. He pointed to Abraham Lincoln and said 'the closest would be that gentleman right up there. I believe I am treated worse,' Trump added Perkins, a retired nurse and elementary school guidance counselor, had gone out of her way to show Trump that she and her family were supporters. 'We pray for you every day,' the said. But then she told the president she had a question about his 'manner and presentation.'

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'Why do you use descriptive words that could be classified as bullying?' she said, before also asking him about ignoring reporters' questions. 'The USA needs you, please let go of those behaviors that are turning people away from you,' she encouraged Trump, praising the other 'wonderful' attributes he had. 'Let go of other characteristics that don't serve you.' The president laughed when he heard it.

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President Trump can be seen underneath the large statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. [size=18]Trump confirms rallies restarting soon despite coronavirus threat

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'I think I like that question,' he said, thanking Perkins for her prayers. Trump then explained that he needed to be combative against a 'hostile' media. 'They come at me with questions that are disgraceful,' Trump said. 'And if I was kind of them, I would be walked off stage,' the president said. Trump pointed to the 'tremendous' support he had from Americans across the country. On Sunday, specifically, he mentioned some pro-Trump boaters that were photographed out on Florida waters, as some of the COVID-19 related restrictions had been dropped in that state. 'But the media, they might as well be in the Democrat party,' Trump complained. The president started his day - which also happened to be World Press Freedom Day - by launching attacks on the press. He tweeted Sunday morning, 'The Fake News doesn’t show real polls. Lamestream Media is totally CORRUPT, the Enemy of the People!' while boasting that his poll numbers among Republican Party members were at 96 per cent approval.

I don’t know who Brian Tyler Cohen is but he nailed it on the media’s failure to hold Trump accountable in real time for all of his lies. The media lavished Trump with coverage during the 2016 campaign and weren’t forceful enough to call out his lies then. That behavior continues to this day.

Brian Taylr Cohen is an MSNBC editor, and edits programmes like Rachel Maddow's. He always has immensely accurate information which has proved correct.

If you can see the front page alone of the NYT today (and it's free during Covid19), it is immensely scary in my view.

And I don't think anybody has managed to put Trump's feet to the fire, and I've often wondered who has shares in all the TV networks because of that - it never helps either that they have to keep breaking questions to go to adverts! And I remember Scaramucci being on a BBC world service programme here and taking part in an half an hour interview and saying how tough it was! Everybody in the US seems too kind! And now Trump hugs the media and other stuff he's doing in the background goes unnoticed sadly.

I've also noticed that the Trumpspokespersons have a technique of nonstop talking...!

PAN - I've seen several of Cohen's pieces on YouTube, but didn't know much about him other than that he's anti-drumpf. I just googled him (briefly) and found out that he's not only a progressive pundit, but is also an actor and producer. I didn't see anything about him working for MSNBC, but it doesn't surprise me. He's very intelligent and talented.

Donnamarie is right. He nailed it about the American media. The mainstream media is still playing by the rules of an ethical society. The right wing media doesn't have any ethics, so anything goes.

The non-stop talking thing is a technique I think is taught to every right-wing Republican in the cradle. If you talk fast enough and loud enough and never stop you'll get your own way because everyone else will get so disgusted waiting for you to stop that they give up trying to make their point.

President Donald Trump drew a line in the sand with Andrew Cuomo and Nancy Pelosi when he called financial bailouts for states 'unfair' because they would go to ones that were mismanaged by Democratic governors. Trump made clear his opposition to the $500 billion in federal funds a bipartisan group of governors requested to make up for state budget shortfalls caused by fallout from the coronavirus. Pelosi has vowed to push for such aid in the fifth economic relief package currently being negotiated and Cuomo has heavily lobbied for the money.'I think Congress is inclined to do a lot of things but I don't think they're inclined to do bailouts. A bailout is different than, you know, reimbursing for the plague,' the president told the New York Post.'It's not fair to the Republicans because all the states that need help — they're run by Democrats in every case. Florida is doing phenomenal, Texas is doing phenomenal, the Midwest is, you know, fantastic — very little debt.'

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President Donald Trump made clear he opposes the $500 billion a bipartisan group of governors requested to make up for state budget shortfalls caused by coronavirus

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has led states in lobbying for federal financial relief to help state budget shortfalls and Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing for such funds to be included in the next legislative packageTrump also said: 'You look at Illinois, you look at New York, look at California, you know, those three, there's tremendous debt there, and many others.'I don't think the Republicans want to be in a position where they bail out states that are, that have been mismanaged over a long period of time,' he said.Several states are facing financial difficulties from both combating the coronavirus and the drop in revenue caused by closed businesses, layoffs, and a decline in tourism. That includes states with Democratic and Republican governors. Some states were in tough financial condition before the virus struck but others are seeing their surpluses and rainy day funds disappear as they struggle to keep afloat. Democrats are pushing for state and local bailout funds to be included in the next round of coronavirus relief legislation after it was rejected from the fourth round.Pelosi argued the states need the money. 'The governors tell me two things that they are united on in terms of Democrats and Republicans,' she told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Monday night. She said one item was protecting healthcare workers and the other was money to make up budget deficits. 'The money would be used for two things,' Pelosi said. 'One is to offset the money that is already spent to address the coronavirus outlays of money and the other for revenue loss related to the coronavirus. So, when the Republicans say, 'Oh, we don't want this and that and their budget,' it has nothing to do with anything other than the coronavirus. So, I think we have a strong case, and I think they will come around to that.'

A fifth bailout is being negotiated but talks are growing complicated. President Trump has said he wants a payroll tax cut included and Democrats said that is a non-starter. Republican lawmakers are also pushing for legal liability protections for businesses. Democrats have dismissed that too. Cuomo has helped lead the push for federal funding for the states along with Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, who is the chairman of the National Governors Association.The association warned lawmakers last month that critical state services could be cut without an infusion of federal cash. Many states have balanced budget amendments and, unlike the federal government, states cannot borrow money to make ends meet.'In the absence of unrestricted fiscal support of at least $500 billion from the Federal government, states will have to confront the prospect of significant reductions to critically important services all across this country,' the governors said in a statement in early April. 'Hampering public health, the economic recovery, and — in turn — our collective effort to get people back to work.' New York has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus and is estimating $10-$15 billion in lost state revenue. Trump has spoken of a warm relationship with Cuomo and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, also a Democrat, but both governors are likely to take issue with the president's opposition to a state bailout. California had a $17 billion surplus before the coronavirus struck and the state is now looking at a budget deficit of up to $35 billion.

Trump also singled out Michigan and Illinois, two states whose Democratic governors he has warred with.Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois faces a $7 billion state budget shortfall. Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan could be $3 billion short. Whitmer has started furloughing state employees to try and offset the expected deficit. States with Republican governors are struggling too. Maryland may see a $2.8 billion shortfall, causing Hogan to institute a hiring freeze and tell state agencies to prepare for budget cuts.In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine faces a $2.4 billion shortfall and the state has a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. DeWine has instituted a hiring freeze and ordered cuts of up to 20 per cent to state agencies but may have to cut funds to education.The Republican-led states Trump mentioned - Texas and Florida - both have large rainy day funds to help see them through the crisis: $8.5 billion for Texas and $1.9 billion for Florida. But, should a second wave of the virus hit, those states could also feel the financial pressure. Cuomo, at the end of April, slammed Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott for dismissing a bailout for states.At his daily press conference in Albany, Cuomo included a slide show with information on how much New York sends to the federal government every year.'New York state bails them out every year. You're not bailing us out. We bail them out every year,' he said.Cuomo pointed out that Florida receives $30 billion more than it gives to the federal government on annual basis, while Kentucky nets $37 billion more.New York puts in $29 billion more than it gets back, he noted. 'Senator Mitch McConnell, you are bailing out New York? When every year you take out more from the kitty, the federal pot, $37 billion more than you put in? Who is bailing out whom? Senator Scott, you're going to bail us out? You take out $30 billion more every year than you pay in. How dare they! How dare they when those are the facts! How long are you going to play the American people and assume they're stupid?,' Cuomo said. The majority of states see most of their revenue come from sales and income tax - both of which have dropped in the wake of the coronavirus as businesses close and workers are laid off. The situation is reaching critical levels as most state fiscal years end on June 30th and many states have balanced budget requirements, leaving governors scrambling at how they will make up estimated shortfalls.And it's not just blue states that will need federal help. Purple states - ones that Trump will need in November to win re-election - are also facing tough times.Colorado is looking at a $3 billion budget shortfall, Wisconsin works on a two-year budget cycle but is preparing to see its $800 million surplus disappear and debt to rack up, and Pennsylvania could see a $4 billion deficit.

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Demonstrators gather in Chicago to protest restrictions instituted by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker in an attempt to curtail the spread of the coronavirus

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Medical professionals wave outside St. John Hospital & Medical Center in Detroit, Monday as law enforcement agencies in a vehicle procession drove by the hospital to salute the frontline personnelHogan, the chair of the NGA, and Cuomo, the vice chair of the group, wrote to Congress leadership two weeks ago to plead for funding and ask for a retroactive change that would allow past federal funds to be used for budget deficits. Any federal funds currently allocated to the states through relief measures can only be used directly to fight the coronavirus. 'Many states are already reporting precipitous declines in revenues that fund state services in health care, education, public safety, transportation, and other vital programs. States and local governments need robust support from the federal government as we navigate the response to this pandemic and to help foster the economic recovery that is ahead,' read the bipartisan letter. 'Unlike the federal government, states cannot borrow to fund continuing operations,' Hogan and Cuomo noted. 'In response to the crisis and to ensure the safety of our citizens, we closed non-essential businesses, limited large gatherings, and implemented stay-at-home orders. We did not make these decisions lightly. As a result, our national and local economies are in dire straits and have resulted in the most dramatic contraction of the U.S. economy since World War II,' they said.Read more:

[size=34]Trump slams Kellyanne Conway's husband as a 'deranged loser' and 'moonface' after he released an ad demonizing President's response to the coronavirus pandemic[/size]

Trump slammed lawyer George Conway as a 'deranged loser' in series of tweets

He took aim at the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump PAC led by Conway

Comes after Conway released an ad blaming the severity of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn on Donald Trump's response

Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By SOPHIE TANNO FOR MAILONLINE and KATELYN CARALLE, U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM PUBLISHED: 06:19 EDT, 5 May 2020 | UPDATED: 09:49 EDT, 5 May 2020

President Trump has slammed Kellyanne Conway's lawyer husband as a 'deranged loser' and 'moonface' in a series of bizarre tweets.It comes after George Conway's political action committee released an advertisement Monday demonizing Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and questioning the vitality of America as a nation if the president is reelected.Trump took aim at the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump PAC led by Conway, and referred to the group as 'RINO Republicans'.

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George Conway released an ad Monday blaming the severity of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn as a result of Donald Trump's response to the outbreak in the U.S.

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President Trump has slammed Kellyanne Conway's lawyer husband as a 'deranged loser' and 'moonface' in a series of bizarre tweets[size=10][size=18]George Conway unveils anti Donald Trump 'mourning in America' ad

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In a series of tweets, the President said: 'A group of RINO Republicans who failed badly 12 years ago, then again 8 years ago, and then got BADLY beaten by me, a political first timer, 4 years ago, have copied (no imagination) the concept of an ad from Ronald Reagan, 'Morning in America', doing everything possible to get even for all of their many failures. 'You see, these loser types don't care about 252 new Federal Judges, 2 great Supreme Court Justices, a rebuilt military, a protected 2nd Amendment, biggest EVER Tax & Regulation cuts, and much more. I didn't use any of them because they don't know how to win, and their so-called Lincoln Project is a disgrace to Honest Abe.

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'I don't know what Kellyanne did to her deranged loser of a husband, Moonface, but it must have been really bad. John Weaver lost big for Kasich (to me). Crazed Rick Wilson lost for Evan 'McMuffin' McMullin (to me). 'Steve Schmidt & Reed Galvin lost for John McCain, Romney's campaign manager (?) lost big to 'O', & Jennifer Horn got thrown out of the New Hampshire Republican Party. They're all LOSERS, but Abe Lincoln, Republican, is all smiles!'Conway's minute-long political ad which was released yesterday asserts: 'There's mourning in American. And under the leadership of Donald Trump our country is weaker and sicker and poorer.'

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The ad includes several desolate images of the struggling U.S. economy, including empty roads and shut down factories'And now Americans are asking: If we have another four years like this, will there even be an America?' the narrator questions in his conclusion.'There's mourning in America,' the ad reiterated, then goes on to blame Trump for the poor economic downturn due to the coronavirus outbreak. 'Today more than 600,000 Americans have died from a deadly virus Donald Trump ignored.''Trump bailed out Wall Street, but not Main Street,' it asserted. 'This afternoon, millions of Americans will apply for unemployment, and with their saving run out, many are giving up hope. Millions worried a loved one won't survive COVID-19.'

In a statement released Monday, the group said the ad is a play on Ronald Reagan's 1984 campaign ad titled Morning in America, where he highlighted the positive impact of his first term.Jennifer Horn, the co-founder of The Lincoln Project, said the goal of the PAC ad is to highlight Trump's failures as president, specifically during a time of crisis.

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'Americans are asking: If we have another four years like this, will there even be an America?' the ad, titled Mourning in American, concludesConway, a former Republican who turned independent in 2018, is a vocal and public Trump critic – even though his wife works closely as one of the president's top advisers.Kellyanne Conway currently serves as counselor to the president and has previously held roles as campaign manager and strategist in the Republican Party. George Conway helped start The Lincoln Project in December 2019 with other anti-Trump Republicans to derail his reelection efforts while remaining true to their conservatives roots and values.The new ad comes as Trump's 2020 campaign has launched its own national advertising blitz after internal polling showed the president slipping in some battleground states.The ad campaign is aimed at praising the president for his response to the coronavirus outbreak – and reports indicate a second wave of ads will come soon attacking his presumed Democratic contender Joe Biden.

[size=34]Police step up patrols outside cardiologist's home after he is suspended from his job and targeted by vigilantes who exposed him on social media for not social distancing at an anti-lockdown rally in Wisconsin[/size]

Dr. David Murdock was suspended from his role as a cardiologist at Aspirus medical group last month

He faced a backlash after photos emerged on Facebook of him flouting social distancing rules and not wearing a mask at the Open Wisconsin Now protest

The doctor was exposed when Kevin Rusch spotted the photo and shamed him for putting patients at risk as he breaks the state's stay-at-home order

Authorities have had to step up protection for Murdock after someone left a bag of feces on the front steps of his home

This comes as the public is increasingly divided over the response to the virus

A growing spate of social distancing vigilantism has emerged with citizens calling each other out for flouting executive orders

Police have stepped up patrols outside a cardiologist's home after he was suspended from his job and targeted by vigilantes who exposed him on social media for not social distancing at an anti-lockdown rally in Wisconsin.Dr. David Murdock, a cardiologist at Aspirus medical group, has been banned from seeing patients for the 'foreseeable future' after photos of him flouting social distancing rules and not wearing a mask at a protest last month went viral on Facebook.The doctor of 33 years was exposed when Kevin Rusch spotted a photo of him in the crowds at the rally and shamed him for breaking the state's stay-at-home order and putting his patients at risk of exposure to the virus. Murdock, 68, admitted he attended the event but insisted he was social distancing. Authorities have now had to step up protection for the Wausau-based medic after someone left a bag of feces on the front steps of his home - part of a growing spate of social distancing vigilantism emerging across the US as the pandemic continues to divide the American people.

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Dr. David Murdock, a cardiologist at Aspirus medical group, was suspended after this photo circulated on social media of him at the Open Wisconsin Now protest at Mosinee on April 19 breaking the state's stay-at-home order. The picture was posted with the condemnation aboveMurdock was exposed on social media last month when an old acquaintance spotted pictures of him at the Open Wisconsin Now protest at Mosinee on April 19 calling for an end to Wisconsin's stay-at-home order.Rusch posted the photo on Murdock's Facebook page with the question: 'Is this true David?' In the image, Murdock is seen sporting an American flag bandanna on his head and smiling at the camera.

Like many of the protesters, he was not wearing a face mask.Another shocking picture shows the doctor disregarding social distancing rules to maintain a six foot distance from other attendees as he has his arms around a priest while they hold up a sign that reads: 'We are an essential service.'Rusch, also from Wausau, slammed Murdock and warned the cardiologist's patients to go to him for treatment 'at your own risk'.

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Authorities have now had to step up protection for the Wausau-based medic (pictured) after someone left a bag of feces on the front steps of his home'His picture popped up, and when I saw it, I was furious,' Rusch told the New York Times. 'I thought, this guy is out here hugging people and rubbing elbows without P.P.E. on and he's actively seeing patients.'The photo sparked a backlash, with many condemning Murdock's behavior on social media and Rusch leading swathes of people to contact his employer Aspirus calling for him to be fired. The following day, Murdock was suspended from the hospital for a week and has since extended his absence with annual leave. Aspirus said Murdock had broken its company policy that required all employees to comply with Wisconsin's safer-at-home order, which bans gatherings of 10 or more people. The company said in a statement that Murdock 'took part in a large gathering this weekend and appeared to violate social distancing practices'.

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Vigilant Kevin Rusch (above) posted the photo on Murdock's Facebook page with the question: 'Is this true David?' A growing spate of social distancing vigilantism has emerged with citizens calling each other out for flouting executive ordersBut, the disgraced medic has hit back at the vigilantes who he said have spread 'misinformation' about him and engaged in a 'political hit job' against him. In a Facebook post dated April 26, he insisted he complied with social distancing at the protest and that no patients have been put at risk by his actions.He also said his family had been forced to file a police report after feces was left on the steps of their home. Murdock said he was 'in FULL agreement' with Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' first safer-at-home executive order scheduled to end on April 24 but disagreed with its extension across the entire state, where he says some communities have not been as hard hit by COVID-19 as had been expected.'Fortunately, we have not seen nearly as many COVID cases as we had expected and were prepared to treat. As of today, there have been only 17 confirmed cases of COVID in Marathon County and only one mortality since the beginning of the pandemic. Those numbers have not changed for several days,' he wrote. 'The forced lockdown has caused severe adverse health consequences locally, as it has prevented people from getting the care they need. This is likely to get worse as many health care organizations are facing financial collapse.'He said he believes restrictions should be maintained in hard-hit areas of the US but called for a 'regional' approach. 'Lower-risk areas and businesses need to make plans to open the economy soon,' he added.Murdock also claimed he attended the event for research for a book about his career as a cardiologist so he could see 'what this virus was doing to the community. I wanted to see and talk to people, from a distance, ask them why are you here'.

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The disgraced medic has hit back at the vigilantes who he said have spread 'misinformation' about him and engaged in a 'political hit job' against him

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Murdock insisted he complied with social distancing at the protest and that no patients have been put at risk by his actions. He also said his family had been forced to file a police report after feces was left on the steps of their home[size=18]Back to work protests across US as lockdown unrest spreads

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This marks one in a string of cases where vigilante behavior is flooding the nation as tensions mount between the anti-lockdown protesters on one side and social distancing champions on the other. As the pandemic continues to spread across the US and some states start to ease lockdown restrictions, the nation has become increasingly divided over the appropriate response to the pandemic.On one side, thousands of anti-lockdown protesters - many of them sporting Republican and Donald Trump merchandise - have taken to the streets and marched on capitol buildings demanding an end to stay-at-home orders claiming they have lost their liberty and businesses, jobs and the economy have been irreparably damaged.On the other side stands the counter-protesters and vigilantes who are fearful that states opening too soon and people ignoring medical advice that social distancing is key to flattening the curve could spark a renewed spike in cases and deaths of American people. A growing number of people on this side have become informants, reporting people to the authorities or at more of a grassroots level for violating stay-at-home orders. Neighborhood websites and notice boards are being used to shame local people.Meanwhile, social media is flooded with pictures of so-called 'covidiots', and the hashtag #FloridaMorons has been trending, shaming beachgoers ignoring social distancing in the sunshine state. But the vigilantism has also come under fire. In April, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio set up a hotline for people to send in pictures of fellow New Yorkers seen flouting the state's social distancing rules.De Blasio faced a backlash from people citing the move 'un-American' on social media and the system was temporarily shut down.

LizzyNY wrote:The Lincoln Projects ads are brilliant. I hope they flood the media with them - especially in drumpf-favorable states. Maybe some of what they say will sink in.

Yes, especially the ‘Mourning in America’ ad that was just released. As I understand these ads will play heavily in crucial red states where down ballot Senators are up for re-election. The project’s aim is to try to flip some of those Senate seats too - which we know is crucial to changing the majority in the Senate to Democrats and dethroning McConnell as Majority Leader. It’s a long shot for sure.

PAN, you have a clear-eyed view of American media. It’s so ironic how the media has done tremendous investigative reporting about Trump and his minions who work in his administration but they rarely ever call him out in real time face to face.

Last edited by Donnamarie on Wed 06 May 2020, 04:06; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : added text)

The class of 2020 is getting a graduation present some of them have been asking about for weeks:Barack and Michelle Obama will both deliver virtual commencement speeches after the novel coronavirus pandemic eliminated the possibility of in-person ceremonies for numerous students around the country.The Obamas announced Tuesday morning that they'll be delivering the virtual speeches via YouTube on June 6.The "Dear Class of 2020" special will feature "global leaders, celebrities, creators and other voices," and both the former president and former first lady will give addresses, according to a statement.Acknowledging the "dozens of requests from around the globe," an Obama spokeswoman said Tuesday that "they will participate in multiple virtual commencement celebrations for students, families and educators."

"President and Mrs. Obama will share messages of advice and inspiration across multiple platforms," the spokeswoman said.President Obama will appear with high school students on the primetime special "Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020" on May 16, airing on "all major networks" and online.That same day, the former president will also appear on the live-streamed "Show Me Your Walk, HBCU Edition."

President Barack Obama (left) giving a 2016 commencement speech at Howard University and former First Lady Michelle Obama (right) delivering a 2010 commencement speech at George Washington University.

ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES; PAUL MORIGI/WIREIMAGE

Michelle Obama

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Obama, 58, and his wife, 56, gave a number of commencement speeches during their eight years in the Oval Office, but the political power couple hasn't given parting words to a graduating class since then.In recent weeks, as shutdowns to slow the coronavirus pandemic ended any chance of in-person graduation ceremonies, some members of the class of 2020 took to social media to call on the Obamas to give virtual speeches for them all.Lincoln Debenham, a 17-year-old student whose tweet asking President Obama to deliver the speech went viral, told CNN last month that he felt Obama was an "icon" for his generation.“They got to vote for Barack Obama in mock elections when they were little kids and they got to watch Barack Obama become the first black president and get sworn in while they were in school,” said Debenham, a senior at Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles.RELATED: Student Goes Viral Asking Obama to Give 'National Commencement Speech' for Seniors Stranded by Coronavirus

President Barack Obama gives the commencement speech at Hampton University in 2010.

JIM WATSON/AFP VIA GETTY

“I remember watching that in the classroom and feeling kind of amazed at such a young age and feel like I was a part of history,” the teen told CNN.An Obama source told PEOPLE last month that they were "flattered" by the request.“Wether he does or not, it isn’t about that,” Debenham tweeted in another message. “It’s about someone who speaks for my generation. Like Barack Obama was the first President I can remember. The classroom mock elections, watching his inauguration in school. That’s what this is about. Hearing that voice of hope again.”

Schools have been closed nationwide since late-March as a part of a worldwide push to slow the spread of the coronavirus by practicing social distancing and avoiding gathering in large groups.With a little over a month left in the school year for most institutions, both teachers and students had to quickly adjust to online learning to finish out the yearly curriculum.The transition has been hard on parents, too.Actress Halle Berry told Entertainment Tonight that homeschooling her kids — 6 and 12 — has been a "nightmare."

President Barack Obama delivering the commencement speech at Wesleyan University in 2008.

“This is like, a wash of a semester,” Berry said. “They’re really just not learning anything and it’s hard.”Mrs. Obama announced an effort last month to help relieve that stress for parents who unexpectedly got thrusted into the role of teacher, participating in a "Read-Along Mondays With Me" where the former first lady reads children's books on PBS Kids' YouTube channel and Penguin Random House's Facebook channel.The former first lady also sent out congratulatory tweets on May 1 for college signing day."I know this #CollegeSigningDay is not what you imagined it would be, but I hope you still get a chance to celebrate this milestone in your life," Mrs. Obama wrote. "I'm so proud of all of you and will be rooting for you."She has made educational access a major part of her post-White House activism, launching a TV series on Instagram documenting the lives of first-generation college students earlier this year.As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. To help provide doctors and nurses on the front lines with life-saving medical resources, donate to Direct Relief here.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar dismissed concerns about the spread of the coronavirus at meat packing plants, saying workers were more likely to catch the deadly disease at home or in social situations.Azar's remarks were made on a phone call with Democratic and Republican lawmakers and came after President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to keep meat plants open amid fears of a food shortage.But the plants have also had high outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers - more than 10,000 have tested positive nationwide with at least 45 deaths.

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Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar dismissed concerns about the spread of the coronavirus at meat packing plants; he was in the Oval Office on Wednesday for an event honoring nurses, standing next to Dr. Deborah Birx

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At least 730 employees at a Tyson plant in Perry, Iowa, have tested positive for COVID-19. That is 58 percent of their workforce

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Some of the largest slaughterhouses and processing plants across the United States have been forced to close in recent weeks due to outbreaks among workers. Others plants have slowed production as workers have fallen ill or stayed home to avoid getting sick

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An aerial photo made with a drone shows the closed Aurora Packing Company meat processing plant in Aurora, Illinois, which had closed due to the coronavirusSome of the lawmakers on the April 28 call with Azar told Politico he said it was the 'home and social' aspects of workers' lives rather than the conditions inside the facilities that led to people catching the disease.Azar, a member of the White House's Coronavirus Task Force, noted many workers live in group housing, which contributed to the spread, and suggested one solution would be to send in more law enforcement officials to enforce social distancing rules. Several people on the call interpreted his remarks as blaming the workers. 'He was essentially turning it around, blaming the victim and implying that their lifestyle was the problem,' Democratic Rep. Ann Kuster of New Hampshire told Politico. 'Their theory of the case is that they are not becoming infected in the meat processing plant, they're becoming infected because of the way they live in their home.'

An HHS spokesperson told the news website it doesn't comment on Azar's conversations with lawmakers but called it 'an inaccurate representation of Secretary's Azar's comments during the discussion.' At least 10,000 meat industry workers have tested positive since the pandemic began, according to an analysis by USA Today and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.

At least 170 plants in 29 states have had one or more workers test positive for the coronavirus. Some of those workers also have infected others, which is included in the count. Most meat packing workers are Latino and many are illegal immigrants.About 44 percent of meatpackers are Latino, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research and 80 percent are undocumented or refugees, according to an analysis from The League of United Latin American Citizens.

Meat shortages impact Wendy's, Kroger and Costco

Wendy's restaurant has taken burgers off the menu in some locations and grocery stores Costco and Kroger have announced limited stocks of beef as Americans start to feel the impact of the pandemic-triggered meat shortage. It's a shocking decision for Wendy's, which established itself as the first fast-food chain to offer fresh 'never frozen' beef, and it's an eerie foreshadowing for what's to come at restaurants across the country. Beef shortages were reported at Wendy's locations in California, South Carolina and Kentucky on Monday. In Chicago Wendy's 'Baconator' bacon cheeseburger was still available for order. 'As you've likely heard, beef suppliers across North America are currently facing production challenges,' a Wendy's statement.

The outbreaks have prompted at least 40 meat slaughtering and processing plant closures, which have ranged from as little as a day to indefinite.The closures have spurred national shortages of beef and pork, with Kroger and Costco instituting limits on how many meat items a customer can buy.Wendy's locations in multiple states have temporarily removed beef hamburgers from their menus due to supply chain disruptions.Customers have also seen prices rise sharply at the grocery store - but there is now some debate as to whether supply chains are to blame for the higher prices. Trump said on Wednesday he had urged the Justice Department to look into allegations that the meatpacking industry broke antitrust law.The president pointed out that the price that slaughterhouses pay farmers for animals had dropped even as meat prices for consumers rose.'I've asked the Justice Department to look into it. ... I've asked them to take a very serious look into it, because it shouldn't be happening that way and we want to protect our farmers,' the president told reporters at a White House event attended by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.'Are they dealing with each other? What's going on?' the president asked.Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Iowa Department of Health confirmed outbreaks in four separate meat packing plants. At the Tyson plant in Perry, 730 employees tested positive for COVID-19. That is 58 percent of their workforce. The Tyson plant in Columbus Junction had 221 positive tests, 26 percent of its workforce, and Tyson's Waterloo facility had 17 percent of its employees test positive.Iowa Premium Beef in Tama saw 221 positive tests, or 39 percent of its workforce. It was not immediately clear how many of the positive test cases were ill or symptomatic. And Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, announced a plan to resume limited operations this week at its Waterloo plant, two weeks after it was shuttered on April 22 amid a coronavirus outbreak.

Tyson Foods is preparing to reopen its largest US pork processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, this week after a coronavirus outbreak sickened at least 444 workers and killed two

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America's mounting meat crisis has been laid bare in pictures showing empty store shelves across the country after processing plants were forced to slow production or close

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The pork industry has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus as meat processing plants were closed throughout the countryAll employees returning to work have been screened for the virus, the company said, and any employee who tested positive will remain on sick leave until released by health officials to return to work. Tyson said it performed a deep clean and sanitization of the facility, which employs 2,800 workers, while it was idled. Last week, Tyson deployed mobile clinics to its facilities in Columbus Junction and Waterloo to provide on-site testing and screening for all employees.'Tyson is committed to implementing all possible measures to protect our team members,' said Hector Gonzalez, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Tyson Foods, said in a statement at the time.

Dozens of protesters gathered outside California's State Capitol Building in Sacramento on Thursday, demanding Gov Gavin Newsom completely reopen the state for business. The demonstration was organized by the 'Freedom Angels' - a group of anti-vaxxers who are now fervently campaigning for an end to lockdown laws issued amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Freedom Angels claim the executive orders are an example of dangerous government overreach, with one protester even comparing Gov Newsom to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. The demonstrator attached a large banner to the side of his U-Haul van Thursday, which showed Newsom standing behind a swastika with Hitler's moustache photoshopped onto his face. . 'End His Tyranny,' the banner read, with one protesters seen sarcastically performing a Nazi salute in front of the doctored image.

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Dozens of protesters gathered outside California's State Capitol Building in Sacramento on Thursday, demanding Gov Gavin Newsom completely reopen the state for business

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One protester compared Gov Newsom to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in a giant banner that was attached to the side of a U-Haul truck

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The demonstration was organized by the 'Freedom Angels' - a group of anti-vaxxers who are now fervently campaigning for an end to lockdown laws issued amid the coronavirus pandemic

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The protesters assembled outside the Capitol Building in Sacramento

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There was a heavy police presence on hand, with officers wearing masks and maintaining a social distance from one another

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One sign questioned why liquor stores were considered 'essential' businesses allowed to continue operating, while churches and recovering meetings have been deemed 'non-essential'Several protesters waved American flags, while others brandished homemade placards with quotes calling for an end to statewide stay-at-home orders. One sign questioned why liquor stores were considered 'essential' businesses allowed to continue operating, while churches and recovering meetings have been deemed 'non-essential'. Another banner stated: 'Social distancing is a tracking tool used by the government!'

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There have been multiple protests putside the State Capitol Building in recent days, as pressure grows on Gov Newsom to allow California residents to head back to work+13

Given that the 'Freedom Angels' were initially formed as an anti-vaccination group, there were also a number of signs expressing skepticism about a future coronavirus vaccine+13

One protester dressed as a lifesize vaccine, complete with a slogan that read 'Big pharma cast a spell on you'+13

'Freedom Angels' was initially comprised of anti-vaxxers. The group has now turned to actively campaiging for an end to California's stay-at-home order issued by Gov Newsom There have been multiple protests putside the State Capitol Building in recent days, as pressure grows on Gov Newsom to allow California residents to head back to work. More than 3.7 million Californians have filed for unemployment claims since the beginning of March, and there are fears that sustaining stay-at-home orders any longer could cripple the economy for years to come. However, Gov Newsom is sticking with his plan to reopen the state slowly in four separate phases, in a bid to stop a potential new surge in coronavirus cases. More than 62,000 Californians have tested positive to COVID-19, and 2,561 have died from the virus. +13

Gov Newsom is sticking to his plan to reopen the state slowly in four separate phases, in a bid to stop a potential new surge in coronavirus cases+13

Despite a strong police presence, there was no reports of violence. Officers are pictured watching over the demonstration+13

One patriotic protester waved an American flag outside the Capitol, while her friend held up a sign that called for 'freedom'[size=18]Gavin Newsom says California will begin Phase 2 of reopening